The present invention relates to a device for transferring elongate food products according the preamble of claim 1. The invention also relates to a method for transferring at least one elongate food product supplied on the carrying surface of a carrier.
During the manufacture and processing of elongate food products, such as for instance sausages, these latter are usually held and/or displaced in a relative orientation placed successively in a row. Successive processing steps often require individual transfer or simultaneous transfer of a plurality of products. Food products (sausages) can thus be transferred individually or in groups (series) from a first carrying surface to a second carrying surface, for instance from a conveyor to a U-shaped carrier in which the food products can undergo a chemical and/or physical treatment, or for instance from a conveyor to a final packaging. The direction of transfer herein often lies perpendicularly of the feed and/or discharge direction of the food products. Particularly characteristic for elongate food products moreover is that they are usually vulnerable and can therefore only be externally loaded in limited measure. Yet another condition for the transfer of food products is that it must take place in hygienically controllable manner.
FR 2 535 579 discloses a device for elongating pieces of bread dough. The pieces of bread dough are transported from a pre-fermenting room to a carrier on which the pieces of dough placed longitudinally in a row. A transfer means moves the pieces of dough subsequently in a direction perpendicular to the transporting direction of the carrier to a traditional shaping device, in which the final shape is realised. The transfer means as shown is provided with a rotating blade that is activated by photoelectric cells placed close to the carrier for detecting the dough pieces passing. A disadvantage of the transfer means as disclosed in this application is that it is only applicable for relatively higher products as lower products can not moved far enough by the rotating blade. The device is therefore not suited for the processing of elongated food products like e.g. sausages. Another disadvantage is that the rotating blade has to be driven with a considerable speed; this can be one of the grounds why the transfer of the dough pieces is few controllable.
The object of the present invention is to provide a structurally simple transfer means which can transfer elongate food products in reliable manner without the limitations according the prior art.